Car running-gear.



PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. J. J. REXROTH. OAR RUNNING GEAR. APPLICATION FILED 13120.22. 1902. RENEWED NOV. 13,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I Q t km w mx m 1 No. 808,061. PATBNTBD DEC. 19, 1905. J. J. REXROTH.

GAR RUNNING GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.22,1902. RENEWED NOV. 13,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

' NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed December 22, 1902. Renewed November 13, 1905. Serial No. 287,182.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. humour, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Running Gear, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to running-gear of light cars or cars designed more especially for use in factories, foundries, machine-shops, brick and stone yards, mines, dry-kilns, and other similar places for trans ferring and other analogous purposes, and has for its object to furnish a running-gear for such cars which will enable the car to be run with a minimum friction, to construct a strong and eflicient running-gear well adapted for the purpose intended, and to simplify and to improve and reduce the cost of construction of the parts which enter into the formation of the gear as a whole.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the running-gear of the invention applied to one form of car frame or body; Fig. 2, an end elevation with the cross-brace tube and tie-rod broken out at the center and showing the track-rails in section; Fig. 3, a detail showing in side elevation a corner of the car frame or body side rail or beam with the truck head or casing divided on the central line of a ball runway or pasage thereof, showmg the center section or division of the truck head or frame, the runway, and the traveling balls; Fig. 4, an end sectional elevation of a truck head or casing and the side rails or beams of the car frame or body with the cross tubular brace in section and the crosst1e rod in full elevation, but both broken out at the center and showing in cross-section a portion of the track-rails; Fig. 5, a bottom view of the truck head or casing, and Fig. 6 a top or plan View of the truck head or casing.

The construction of car shown has a skele ton frame or base consisting of a rail or beam on each side, and each rail or beam, as shown, is made of channeliron, but can be made of other suitable material.

A tubular brace B extends from side rail to side rail adjacent to each end, and passing through each tube and the body of each side rail or beam is a tie-rod C, by means of which brace-tubes and tie-rods the side rails or beams are firmly united one to the other. The frame or base formed by the side rails or beams, the tubular cross-braces, and the tie rods is of simple construction and at the same time is strong, rigid, and firm in all of its parts. The length and width of the frame or base can be varied .to suit the size of the car and the requirements of use, and, if necessary or desired, a flooring or platform can be attached to the frame or base.

The frame or base at each corner thereof in the arrangement shown has a truck head or casing D, extending up from which and preferably formed integral therewith is a plate E, having a strengthening or stiffening rib E on the inside extending from the top of the plate to the top of the head or casing. The outer face of each plate E is flat or in a straight plane to fit the inner face of the side rail or beam A, and each plate is attached at or adjacent to the end of the rail or beam by bolts or rivets or in any other suitable manner that will attach the plates rigidly and firmly to the rails or beams.

Each head D is formed of an outer wall a, a horizontal wall or partition I), and a vertical wall or partition 0 integral one with the other or integrally united. The outer wall and the horizontal and vertical walls or partitions are so related as to divide the interior of each head or easing into two chambers or channels located side by side, each chamber or channel forming a continuous runway or passage having an upper section d, end sections d, and a lower section (1 the lower side having an opening (Z through the bottom or lower part of the head or casing. The upper and lower sections are straight and lie parallel with each other, and each end section is circular and unites the upper and lower sections at each end, giving each runway or passage on each side of the head the same formation, which is of the nature of an ellipse with the sides straight and with the horizontal partition at the center of the ellipse as a whole.

Each continuous runway or passage is filled with balls e, which balls are entered into the runway by spreading the outer wall of the casing at one point sufficient to enter the balls singly and then restoring the wall to normal condition or by cutting away the lower edge of the intermediate vertical partition or wall to enter the balls and after the balls are entered closing the gap by a cross-head curved at the edges to fit the balls and attached to the wall or partition by dovetailing or otherwise, or the balls can be entered in any other usual and well-known manner. The balls when entered travel or pass through the lower section 01 of each runway or passage, project slightly through the mouth or opening CF, and furnish the traveling or bearing face to run on the rail of the track. The balls e are held against dropping too far and so as to furnish the proper support or tread in running and so as not to escape from the lower section of the runway or passage by that part of the vertical wall or partition extending below the horizontal wall or partition and the lower part of the outer wall, the inner face of which curve inwardly and extend or project slightly under the balls, and, as shown, the lower section of the runway or passage is on a circle in cross-section coinciding with the circle of the balls and cut away at the mouth or opening for the projection of the balls to leave only an are or exposed face for each ball sufficient to furnish the necessary bearing-surface for running on the track-rail, which bearing-surface contacts the face of the rail on each side of a vertical line passingthrough the center of the head or casing.

The car is to run upon a track the rails F of which have their heads with a bearing-face that is preferably crowned or on the arc of a circle for the lower run of balls to travel thereon on each side of the vertical center of the rail and hold the car on the rails of the track, and, as shown, each truck head or casing carries at one or both of its inner corners a guide or emergency wheel or disk f, the inner face of which is tapered or on a diagonal line in the construction shown and runs in proximity to the rail, so that in the event of any side swerving or swing of the car the inner face of the wheel or wheels will engage the side of the rail and prevent the car from leaving the track. Each wheel or disk f in the arrangement shown is mounted on a pivot-bolt or'pivotal pin g, passing through an ear h on the end of the truck head or casing but the mounting could be otherwise, so long as it was one to bring the acting or inner face of the wheel or disk in proximity to the side of the rail-head for the wheel or disk to act as' a guide and guard to prevent the car from leaving the track.

In operation with the car running. on the track the lower run of balls of each truckhead or casing travels on the convex or crowned surface of the rails, the lower run of balls of the companion runways or passages traveling on opposite side of the vertical center of the rail, and each ball of the lower run of balls will roll or rotate on an axis that extends at right angles to a perpendicular line drawn from the center of the point of contact of the ball with the bearing-face of the rail, giving each ball its own independent axis of rotation with the axes of all the balls in par allel horizontal planes. The lower run of balls in each runway or passage as the car travels over the track move around in their respective chambers or channels, and this moving or circling around of the balls constantly changes their relative position, mak ing it impossible for one set or series of balls to continuously bear on the face of the rail, with the result that all of theballs are brought into use as the car runs or travels, decreasing the wear on any one ball or set of balls. The

halls each have their own independent and individual axis of rotation and constantly change their relative position in relation to the mouth or opening, and the arrangement is one that reduces the friction to a minimum, making an easy-running car.

The construction of the frame is one that is strong, rigid, and stable and at the same time simple in its formation. The truck heads or casings are attached direct to the side rails or beams of the frame or base, dispensing with the use of axles, truck-frames, journalboxes, and other appurtenances usually found in the construction of cars. The truck head or casing, with its two companion runways or passages, each filled with balls, furnish a rolling su port for the car which is strong and durab e. Each ball has its own individual axis of rotation and each ball carries a proportionate ratio of the weight of the car and load, and by lengthening or shortening the runways or passages a greater or less number of balls may be utilized in proportionately carrying the weight. The halls constantly change their relative position in the runways or passages by moving around therein, bringing all the balls into use and not one particu lar set or series of balls. The convex or crowned face of the rail furnishes a bearing surface for the travel of the balls thereover and insures a contact for the balls with the rail at all times, as the balls will self-adjust themselves to any inequalities of the track. The friction is reduced to a minimum, owing to the convexity or crowning of the bearin face of the rail and the use of two sets of balls that travel on opposite sides of the longitudinal vertical center of the convexity or crowning of the top of the rail, and the guide and guard wheel or disk, either one or two on each truck head or casing, prevents the car from leaving or running off the track under ordinary conditions of use. All of these advantages are found in the car of my inven tion as a whole and add materially to the utility of the car in actual use.

The employment of a plurality of companion runways or passages, preferably two, arranged side by side, having therein a series of travelers, such as balls, holds the truck head or casing in a straight line of travel on the rail, as one set of balls pushes equally against the other set, thereby preventing the tendency of the balls to climb or mount the crown of the rail, as would be the case if only one runway or passage filled with balls were used, and at the same time the pressure on the rail does not increase the friction, but, if

IIO

'dinal center of the rail.

anything, serves to reduce the friction, as one set of the lower run of balls acts against the other set running heavy on the rail, causing both sets to press lightly in a lateral direction or crosswise on the bearing-surface of the rail, one set assisting the other in maintaining an equilibrium of pressure on the tread of the rail equidistant from the vertical longitu- It will thus be seen that with anarrangement of plurality of runways or passages, each the counterpart of the other and each filled with travelers and located in opposite sides of and equidistant from the longitudinal vertical center of the head or casing, climbing of the rail is prevented and an equilibrium of pressure is maintained, making a light running-gear in use.

hat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car running-gear, a truck head or casing having therein a horizontal partition and an intermediate vertical partition, the partitions furnishing two companion runways or passages within the truck head or casing, each runway or passage consisting of an upper and lower longitudinal and horizontal section and curved end sections uniting the upper and lower sections and having the lower section opening through the bottom of the truck head or casing, a set of travelers for each runway or passage and moving continuously around therein and with the lower run arcing or projecting through the mouth or opening and furnishing a running support on each side of the vertical center of a bearing-rail for the truck head or casing, andmeans on the truck head or casing for fixedly attaching the truck head or casing to a frame or base, substantially as described.

2. In a car running-gear, a truck head or casing having therein a horizontal partition and an intermediate vertical partition, the partititons furnishing two companion runways or passages within the truck head or casing, each runway or passage consisting of an upper and lower longitudinal and horizontal section and curved end sections uniting the upper and lower sections and having the lower section opening through the bottom of the truck head or casing, balls for each runway or passagefilling the runway or passage and moving continuously around therein and with the lower run arcing or projecting through the mouth or opening and furnishing a running support on each side of the vertical center of a bearing-rail for the truck head or casing, and means on the truck head or casing for fixedly attaching the truck head or casing to a frame or base,substantially as described.

3. In a car running-gear, the combination of a frame or base having side rails or beams, a truck head or casing for each side rail or beam, each truck head or casing having an upwardly-extending plate for attachment to the rail or beam, and each truck head or casing having therein a horizontal partition and an intermediate vertical partition, the partitions furnishing two companion runways or passages, each runway or passage consisting of an upper and lower longitudinal and horizontal section and curved end sections uniting the upper and lower sections, and each runway or passage having its lower section opening through the bottom of the truck head or casing, balls for each runway or passage filling the runway or passage and moving continuously around therein, the lower run of balls arcing or projecting through the mouth or opening of the lower section of the runway or passage and furnishing a running support on each side of the vertical center of a bearing-rail for the truck head or casing, substantially as described.

4. In a car running-gear, the combination of a frame or base having side rails or beams, a truck head or casing at each end of each side rail or beam, each truck head or casing having an upwardly-extending plate for at tachment to the rail or beam, and each truck head or casing having therein two companion runways or passages and balls filling each runway or passage and moving continuously around therein with the lower run arcing or projecting through the mouth or opening and furnishing a running-support for the truck head or casing, substantially as described.

5. In a car running-gear, the combination of the frame or base having side rails or beams, a truck head or casing at each end of each side rail or beam, each truck head orcasing having an upwardly-extending plate for attachment to the rail or beam, and each truck head or casing having therein two companion runways or passages and balls filling each runway or passage and moving continuously around therein, with the'lower run arcing or projecting through the mouth or opening and furnishing a running support for the truck head or casing, and a guide and guard wheel or disk on the inside of each truck head or casing, substantially as described.

JOHN J. REXROTH.

I/Vitnesses:

OSCAR W. BOND, F. E. W. Rnxnorn. 

